Flyaway Charters

Merchants at the Marketplace co-sponsored Saturday of events and activities at the shopping area, Oct. 16. “Added value demonstrations and educational presentations for the entire family,” according to Jennifer Dale, the general manager of the complex. Activities included a domino tournament, face painting for kids, music by the Iguanas and the Love City Pan Dragons, and story time outside the First Floor Bookstore (pictured), led by volunteer Bill Morris. The next event will be December 3rd from 5-9pm, keyed to holiday shopping.

It’s been quiet for the last week, with only one property coming off the Multiple Listing Service and no new residences being added. A 4-bedroom/3-bath property in Carolina, priced at $2.9 million, came off the market, leaving the MLS with 42 residences being offered. In other categories, the number of land parcels listed rose by 3 to 136, condominiums were unchanged at 7, timeshares increased by 4 to 81, and commercial properties were unchanged at 8.

Environmental concerns have stopped the V.I. Port Authority from shuttling material dredged from the Enighed Pond project to the Susannaberg Landfill, the St. John Source reported. “They’re trying to do something so the runoff doesn’t” flow downhill,” said Julien Harley, the island administrator. Within hours of the Public Works Department giving its approval to the transfer, heavy rains Thursday and Friday send a wash of gray water down the Guinea Gut. Charlie Deyalsignh, who lives near the guy, said the flow was not its usual clear color, the Source said. He worried that the water life and plants in the guy will be killed by the flow.

A study commissioned by the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park calculated the Park generates $92 million dollars in direct sales annually. The project was conducted Jane Israel, an independent consultant, during the recent winter tourism season. Another survey done earlier this year found that 80 percent of the people who visit St. John come because of the Park, according to the St. John Source.

Israel calculated the average person spends $335 on island. Hotel guests spend $630, villa and condo people paid out $533, day visitors spend $139. Island restaurants received $18 million of that spending, hotels, condos, and other lodging providers were paid $35 million for lodging, and $12 million went to for local transportation (car rentals, taxis, etc.), the Daily News reported. She also estimated that the Park is responsible for 20 percent of the VI’s total employment.

Joe Kessler, president of the Friends, told the Virgin Islands Daily News , “It’s good to know and be able to quantify it,” Kessler said. “That’s a very significant economic and financial impact into the local community.”

Reaction from Julien Harley, the St. John Administrator, was surprise. “I knew it was a lot, but I didn’t think it would be so high,” he told the Source.

To no one’s surprise, the V.I. Port Authority said the $16 million Enighed Pond Freight Terminal Project “may” open next spring; not within 30 days as was confidently predicted several weeks ago. Delays caused by the stench produced from dredging and failure to find a place to dump that sediment are among the factors being blamed, according the Virgin Islands Daily News. The update on Enighed was announced at this week’s Authority governing board meeting.

Port Authority executive director Darlan Brin said the Public Works department has given permission for the dredged material, stacked up along the shores of the Pond, to be taken to the Susannaberg landfill. The transfers have begun. Meanwhile, back at the pond, dredging has resumed and could take two more months, the newspaper report said.

The owner of the Canvas Factory is adding his voice to those critical of the St. John Post Office. “It takes two to three weeks. I don’t know what black hole it falls into,” Tom Lee said of priority and first class mail,” according to the St. John Source. Lynda Lohr, a Source reporter, also has had problems with the office. A thick envelope mailed to her from St. Thomas was lost at the Post Office for almost two weeks.

One reason for the problems could be that there is no longer a Postmaster on island. Glenn Jackson left her job last month, transferring to a new slot with the Service on St Croix. Husband, Louis Jackson, who was Postmaster on St. Thomas went with her. Neither island has an official in charge, according to the Virgin Islands Daily News.

Candidates for the job should be knowledgeable about postal operations, mail processing and delivery, administration, management of the office, and budgets, according to Mildred Diaz, a spokeswoman for the Service in San Juan. She said new Postmasters should be named by the end of the year.

Disclaimer: The publisher of the News of St. John is a co-owner of the Mail Center, a retail packaging and postal business located at the Marketplace.